This invention relates to a computer implemented method and apparatus for processing forms and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for processing customizable application forms that share information from an extensible database.
The processing of college admission application forms described below is illustrative of the current state of forms processing. Students applying to colleges and universities typically complete a separate paper application for each institution to which they seek admission. Each application is then mailed to the corresponding institution along with an application fee.
Many institutions would like to simplify the application process by allowing students to apply over the Internet. Although an Internet application allows an institution to process the application information electronically, a student is required to re-enter the same information for each subsequent application to a different institution or to the same institution for a different academic term. Moreover, if the institution wishes to change the application form, the institution must typically revise the source code that creates the application form, thereby making changes to the application form expensive and inconvenient.
One could reduce redundancy in the application process by allowing students to complete a single, generic application provided by a third party who would then transmit the application to any designated institution. Such systems, however, would make it impossible for institutions to customize their applications form. In an environment where schools are competing for top students, the image that a school projects to potential students is important, and a customized application can help project the image that the school wishes to create. The questions that a school asks on its application reflect the values of the institution. Many schools want information different from that which would be on a generic form. Thus, it is unacceptable to many institutions to use a generic application form.
Most institutions continue, therefore, to use primarily paper applications or their own on-line applications, with the disadvantages described above. Moreover, the institution must then process the application fee for on-line applications, which may require that the institution have some expertise in electronic commerce.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of processing forms.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a method that allows data sharing between customizable forms, the customization including branding of forms to specific institutions.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide such a method that uses an extensible data-sharing database.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved method of processing admissions applications.
The present invention comprises a universal forms engine that permits the creation and processing of customizable electronic forms and selective sharing of information between the customized forms. A user thus enters data only once, and the data is shared through an extensible database between disparate forms. The forms are completed by a user over a computer network and information from each completed form is forwarded to the appropriate entity over a computer network. The ability of the forms engine to present a form for user input, to receive data from the user, and to provide the data to the appropriate entity is independent of the computing platform of the user and the entity. Any fees associated with the forms can be processed electronically over a computer network together with the forms.
The invention thus creates forms, parses data on forms, stores data, retrieves the data, and deploys the data onto other forms. As additional forms are completed and additional information becomes part of the database, the amount of information that must be manually entered on new forms decreases because the new forms are automatically populated with the previously entered data.
A form is considered to be essentially a container for data and implies an associated process. The forms engine integrates the form, the data, and the processing regardless of the appearance of the form, the type or significance of the data, and the processing that follows collection of the data.
Metadata, that is, information that characterizes the applicant data is also stored. For example, in one embodiment, an attribute table describes characteristics, such as permissible values and accessibility to various institution personnel, of applicant attribute data. In another embodiment, such properties of the applicant attributes are stored in XML files. Storing metadata provides greater control over the data validation, sharing between forms, grouping, and access.
User information and application information are abstracted from the coding, that is, the user information and application information is stored in a way that allows the application information and the user information to be changed without reprogramming. This abstraction allows the set of user data to be extended without reprogramming, allows the user data to be displayed in different formats in different applications, allows the data to be validated to ensure that it can be used by the institutions, and eases access to the information over the Web by institutions. Abstracting the application information allows the application itself to readily changed, and allows changes, such as changes to application dates, to be made by the institutions themselves. The abstracted information is saved, for example, in a relational database or in an XML file.
The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the organization and method of operation, together with further advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements.